Trying to connect "The Monkeys Paw" and "By The Waters of Babylon" through the theme of "Temptation".

The theme of temptation is very clearly seen in “The Monkey’s Paw.”  The White family is tempted by Morris’s tale of how the monkey’s paw can grant three wishes to its holder.  They are tempted by their visions of what three wishes could do for them.  Even though Morris has had three wishes and is clearly frightened or saddened when he thinks of what happens when he got those wishes, the White family is tempted to try their luck.  Of course, once they actually carry through and make the wishes, they regret it.  

The theme of temptation is not as obvious in “By the Waters of Babylon.”  We see it most clearly at the end.  John comes to realize that the “gods” who built the Place of the Gods were actually people.  He realizes that people built the magnificent city that lies in ruins now and he is determined to have his people work to reclaim their lost ability to do such things.  John is tempted by the idea that his people can become materially wealth and powerful.  He ignores the fact that wealth and power helped bring about the disaster that destroyed the ancient civilization.  At the end of the story, he gives in to temptation and is going to encourage his society to “build again.”

I would say, then, that these stories are linked by the theme of temptation.  In both, the main characters are tempted to grab for things that have harmed others before them.  They are both seemingly convinced that the bad things that happened to others cannot happen to them.  They ignore the danger because they are tempted by the lure of what they might get.  We know that this ends badly for the Whites in “The Monkey’s Paw,” but we do not know for sure what will happen to John’s people in “By the Waters of Babylon.”